Shashank Kochi, february 3:A Division Bench of the Kerala High Court has dismissed writ petitions filed against the government sanction for starting a Non Banking Finance Company by the Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation (KSIDC) based on Islamic principles.
The petitions were filed by Janata Party president Subramanian Swamy and others.
Nasik, February 2:The presence of mind shown by the two pilots of an Army helicopter which crashed here today in a residential area may have saved many lives, a police official said.
Both the pilots died in the crash.
“Had the pilots bailed out immediately after noticing fault in rotor blades, they would have saved their own lives, but the helicopter would have certainly crashed into a densely populated area, killing many more,” he said.
London, February 2:Women whose mothers are victims of stroke are at a far higher risk of a heart attack.
Women may be more at risk of inherited forms of heart disease. In men, it tends to be triggered by lifestyle factors such as diet, drinking and smoking.
Oxford University researchers looked at more than 2,200 female patients who had suffered a stroke, heart attack or angina, the journal Circulation: Cardiovascular Genetics reports.
They found that a far higher proportion of the women’s mothers had suffered a stroke compared to their fathers, according to the Daily Mail.
New Delhi, February 2:With some Arab countries witnessing mass movement for democracy and reforms, Union Minister Salman Khurshid today said India should be proud of its democracy despite disagreements among various sections.
“If you look around the world, I think, Indians can congratulate themselves that the untiredness of our democracy, underscore the fact that the democracy is indispensable and democracy is the best way in which one human being can respect other human being,” the Water Resources Minister said at a workshop on Water and Climate Change.
Chennai, February 2:Unattached MLA and former AIADMK leader S Ve Shekher today said he would join Congress to give the party a boost ahead of the upcoming Tamil Nadu Assembly elections.
Shekher, elected from Mylapore constituency in Chennai, had recently met party general secretary Rahul Gandhi before deciding to join Congress.
Shekher, axed from the Jayalalithaa-led AIADMK in 2009, said he had met Gandhi two months back and would join the party “under instructions” from Union Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, who is in-charge of party affairs in the state.
Wellington, February 2:A New Zealand man faces a legal suit for allegedly crying out another woman’s name while making love with his ex-partner.
The complainant told the court that the 30-year-old man, who is also the father of her children, called out another woman’s name while having sex after a Saturday night party last year, the New Zealand Herald reported Tuesday.
Describing their love-making session in the court, she said the man called out another woman’s name – “the one that was at the party” – and she got angry.
Muzaffarnagar, February 2:Islamic seminary Darul Uloom Deoband has banned media persons from entering its premises till February 23 as they felt that their presence was affecting students’ preparations for the upcoming examinations.
There has been an increased media presence at the seminary following the controversy generated by Vice-Chancellor Maulana Gulam Mohammad Vastanvi’s remarks on Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, Deputy Vice Chancellor of the Darul Uloom Maulana Abdul Khalique told PTI.
New Delhi, February 2:The vital part of Census 2011 — the population enumeration — will be conducted across the country simultaneously between February 9 and 28.
Registrar-General and Census Commissioner C Chandramouli today said the biggest-ever census attempted in the history of mankind enumerating the country’s 1.2 billion population will be conducted across 35 states and Union Territories.
During the massive exercise, all citizens of the country will be counted classifying various factors and according to their gender, religion, occupation and education.
Muzaffarnagar, February 2:A case under Gangster Act was registered today against a Congress leader for his alleged involvement in several criminal cases, a senior police official said.
Rajvir Singh, former Uttar Pradesh Congress General Secretary, was arrested for landing his helicopter without permission and later misbehaving with the police when they tried to prevent him at Roorkie on January 27, 2011. The leader has now also been booked under Gangster act, Superintendent of Police (city) K B Singh said.
Beijing, February 2:A 4.8-magnitude earthquake jolted southwest China, affecting more than 80,000 people and damaging over 600 homes, authorities said Wednesday.
The quake occurred at 3.11 p.m. Tuesday in Yunnan Province. The epicentre was recorded 10 km deep at Yingjiang County of Dai-Jingpo Autonomous Prefecture of Dehong, Xinhua reported.
The tremor forced the emergency evacuation of 64,500 people by Tuesday night, the local government said in a statement.
Authorities have sent out 300 tents, 200 cotton-padded quilts and 200 coats, and 10 tonnes of rice in the affected areas.
Thiruvananthapuram, February 2:Rival fronts in the Kerala political spectrum are getting ready for a final showdown in the last session of the present Kerala assembly beginning Friday with the governor’s address.
The session ends Feb 24 and by then Kerala will get ready for the campaign to the assembly elections as the term of the present V.S. Achuthanandan government ends May 17.
The budget will be presented by state Finance Minister Thomas Issac Feb 10.
Bangalore, February 2:At least 5 labourers, including a woman, were killed when an under-construction building collapsed here Wednesday, police said. Around 15 labourers are feared trapped under the debris.
Police and fire personnel are engaged in rescue operations at the crash site, a police officer said.
Four injured workers have been admitted to a nearby hospital.
The building was coming up on Bannerghatta Road, about 10 km from the city centre.
–IANS
Cairo, February 2:Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh has said he will not seek another term in office, broadcaster al-Arabiya reported Wednesday.
Saleh, aged 64, has ruled since 1978 – first in North Yemen and since the end of the Cold War in the united Gulf country.
The Yemeni leader’s announcement, which also said he would not seek to have his son follow him in office, came just hours after President Hosny Mubarak of Egypt also said he would not seek reelection.
Mumbai, February 2:Composer Bappi Lahiri is excited about his acting debut on the small screen in Disney’s new show “Ishaan”.
“I liked the idea, the script and also the fact that this was not just for singing but Disney offered me a chance to act as well. So I decided to take it up because I have never acted in a show,” Lahiri told IANS.
Lahiri will play a Disco King in the children’s show and has lent his voice for an original track titled “D.I.S.C.O.” for the show. The composer, has shot for two episodes that will be aired February end.
Beijing, February 2:A hair care products company in east China has been fined for using banned chemicals in its products, China’s food and drug watchdog said Tuesday.
The Zhangguang 101 Co. Ltd. – based in Zhejiang province – paid 245,040 yuan (over $37,000) in fines and had its illegal gains confiscated, Xinhua reported citing a statement issued by the State Food and Drug Administration.
The products were bound for Singapore and Hong Kong markets.
An investigation found that some products made by the company contained minoxidil, an anti-hypertension drug.
RIYADH/JEDDAH,February 2: As thousands of foreigners flee Cairo due to mass protests across Egypt, hundreds of Saudi citizens remain stranded at Cairo’s airport waiting for flights to the Kingdom, said Saudis returning from the country.
Samir Al-Kahli, 38, returned from Cairo on Sunday after Saudia increased its flights from Egypt. He said the situation at Cairo airport is chaotic.
JEDDAH, February 2:: Second Deputy Premier and Minister of Interior Prince Naif on Tuesday announced a series of measures to tackle Jeddah’s recurrent floods. He said international companies would be awarded contracts to establish a state-of-the art rainwater drainage system for Jeddah.
Prince Naif made this statement after presiding over a meeting of the ministerial committee that was set up by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah following the devastating Jan. 26 floods. Earlier he inspected the flood-hit areas in various parts of Jeddah traveling on a helicopter.
NEW DELHI, February 2: Having inaugurated the seat-sharing talks with Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi on Monday, Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Tuesday held an internal party meeting on the forthcoming Tamil Nadu Assembly elections.
Union Health Minister and Congress general secretary in charge of the State Ghulam Nabi Azad was called to 10, Janpath to work out the finer points and the party’s panel, which will negotiate the seats and the constituencies with ally DMK.
Newyork, February 2:Rashes, asthma, gastrointestinal discomfort, migraines, anaphylactic shock—whatever the resulting symptom, food sensitivities take their toll on your body and your patience. Whether in the form of an actual allergy or an intolerance due to disease or illness, a significant portion of the world population is affected and must monitor their diet—some with just a watchful eye, others will full-blown vigilance.
Tehran, February 2:Iran has lifted all restrictions on fuel supplies to Afghanistan in response to the Afghan government’s declaration that it will not provide the fuel to NATO troops stationed in the country.
The Afghan ambassador to Tehran thanked the Islamic Republic for allowing the transfer of fuel to the country and promised that Iranian supplies would only be used by the Afghan people.
Ambassador Obaidullah Obaid also stated that Kabul wants to maintain friendly relations with Tehran.
Cairo, February 2:Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak said Tuesday night that he will not seek re-election when his current term in office expires in September.
“I never sought power and influence,” said Mubarak, who has ruled for nearly 30 years, in a speech on state television.
The 82-year-old president said: “I did not intend to run for the coming presidential election,” promising that in his remaining time in office he would “work to ensure the peaceful transfer of power.”
“I take pride in my long years serving the people. … I will be judged by history by my merits,” he said.
Istanbul, February 2:Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan Tuesday called on the Egyptian leadership to ensure a democratic solution to the political unrest, the semi-official Anatolia Agency reported.
“No power can remain deaf to the democratic demands of the people. No power can remain standing in defiance of the people,” Erdogan said at a meeting of members of his ruling AK Party in the Turkish parliament.
New Delhi, February 1:Mercedes Benz India, the German luxury car manufacturer’s Indian subsidiary Tuesday relaunched its super-luxury sedan Maybach’s two variants — the 57 S and 62 — with a price tag of Rs.4.85 crore and Rs.5.10 crore .
“This car is only for luxury segment. Designed with meticulous attention to detail and knitted out of 21st century automotive technology, the cars are writing the next chapter in history,” Peter Honegg, managing director and chief executive of Mercedes Benz India, told reporters.
New Delhi, February 1:The Delhi High Court Tuesday sought a response from the central and Delhi governments on a plea opposing a private school’s refusal to reserve seats for poor students claiming exemption from provisions of the right to education law.
Justice Rajiv Sahai Endlaw issued the notice to the human resource development ministry and the directorate of education, Delhi government, and sought their replies by March 30.
New Delhi, February 1:Marking a shift in its stand on the popular uprising in Egypt, India Tuesday described mass protests in the north African country as “an articulation of aspirations of Egyptian people” for reform and hoped that the current situation will be resolved in a peaceful manner.
“India continues to closely follow the mass protests in Egypt which are an articulation of the aspirations of the Egyptian people for reform,” India’s external affairs ministry said in a statement.